Karate Problem

[Wado Ryu Karate Student]

Hello, my real name is Lisa I'm 41 years young and I am Wado Ryu Karate student. I joined Karate in the middle of July 2014 and I had my first grading at the beginning of December 2014. I am now a yellow belt and I have already found that I am in big trouble. I need to learn the roundhouse kick, two kata's Pinan Needan and Pinan Shodan. And I need to do partner work.

My main problem is that I cannot do Roundhouse technique. My balance is rubbish. I am also struggling with the stances in Pinan Needan and I cannot get the hang of partner work either.

So here's my problem I think I was graded too soon. Now I am not sure if this is allowed so I need your advice.

Am I allowed to ask if I can be degraded? Please can anyone help?

[AdamKralic]

Practice. Do not move back but stay where you are until you can do the movements that a re required of you.

[Lupin1]

A karate journey is flexible and varies from person to person. Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses and learns in their own time. At your second belt you're not expected to be perfect or even necessarily good. It's just an indication that you're not a complete beginner anymore. Also-- if you're expected to learn the roundhouse kick, Pinan Shodan and Pinan Nidan AS a yellow belt, there's no reason to be downgraded if you can't do them right away. It only means you shouldn't go further until you get them down. Kinda like if you're supposed to learn multiplication in 2nd grade but can't do it right at the beginning. It doesn't mean you need to go back to 1st grade (especially if you've already proven you know all the 1st grade material). It just means you need more work and more time to get it down.

So, in conclusion, you must have done something to earn your yellow belt and you deserve it. Never tell yourself you don't. Trust your instructor and know he wouldn't have given it to you if he didn't think you earned it. Recognize that this is your individual journey and you can stay a yellow belt as long as you need to until you feel comfortable, but a yellow belt is still a beginner and you need to cut yourself some slack and let your personal journey develop as it develops.

PS-- Welcome to the forums!

[Wado Ryu Karate Student]

Thank you very much for the replies. I have been feeling very down about this. I am just annoyed at myself for being very behind. There are a couple of students who graded yellow belts with me and they can do roundhouse, both the kata's and the partner work. This is why I feel so bad. I will take what you have said on board....Thank you.

[Nidan Melbourne]

Everyone is different and progress at different rates. Just take your time and don't stress.

You are progressing at your own rate. Don't compare yourself to others.

Especially since you only recently graded as well. Just practice and you will get there.

Kata takes practice and patience. Go slowly through it so you can get the hang of the footwork, then build it up to the pace that you have to do it at.

Partner Work you can't stress about, as much as it is important you just have to let it take its course. Cause it gets easier and easier as time goes on and the more you do it.

Your a Yellow belt and your not in big trouble. Roundhouse kicks everyone still works on! Even my sensei who is a 3rd Dan and has trained for over 2 decades still works on his even they are perfect. Practice the correct technique/form of the kick (Quality) and then try and see how many you can do whilst maintaining the correct form. and then work on from there.

Like what Lupin1 said trust your training and your instructor. You learn something new at every rank, so this is totally normal for you to feel behind. You learn, practice and practice to get better and definitely doesn't happen overnight.

At my Dojo (I'm a Goju-Ryu Practitioner) as an Instructor we teach white belts how to do roundhouse kicks but they need to know the kick but not have it perfect. As Yellow belts they need to demonstrate the kick and show that they have improved in some way. So for your dojo you start learning it at yellow belt so the further in your training you go the better your kicks (should) hopefully get better. It will also improve your [so called] "Rubbish" Balance.

and btw you were definitely not graded too soon! As gradings are there to test what you are required to know for that rank and will get tested on things from previous ranks that you should know. And that you were competent in what you had to know as a white belt.

My best piece of advice when learning or practicing something in martial arts is not to rush it! Struggle with kata GO Slow, Struggle with kicks GO SLOW (Technically harder but improves your muscle strength, balance and definitely ensures that you are doing correct technique) then the easier it becomes then speed up whilst maintaining correct form.

As I have seen people who do kata full speed and looks absolutely terrible because it wasn't strong or correct form which is disappointing.

[sensei8]

Time heals all MA ailments; time on the floor is time well spent! In time, your balance will be solid! In time, stances will solidify! In time, kata becomes natural! In time!! Learn that time is on your side!! Not one Senior Dan started solid on the floor, they faced quite similar things that you are right now!

Question everything, but do it with respect!! Having said that trust must be earned by every rank!! The higher the rank, the harder one must work to earn trust and respect!

Trust your Sensei's grading decision through and through! To do otherwise is a from of disrespect, and I don't know many Instructors that appreciate their grading decisions being questioned by any rank, particularly beginners!! Your Sensei passed your on your merits and the like, and as in any test, you can still pass without making a 100% on the testing cycle!! DON'T ASK TO BE DOWN GRADED...and if you do, you'll deeply regret having done so!!

As others have stated, we're individuals, and in that, the learning curve is easier for some, and difficult for others

You passed! Congrats! Now practice until the wheels fall off, and then some! Nothing in the MA is suppose to be easy, and if it was, everyone would be doing it.

[Melau]

As the saying goes, Rome was not build in a day. The body needs time (and lots of it) to adjust to the techniques in any martial art.

As for 'being behind', I can imagine that would frustrate you. But it is important to keep in mind that in karate you should never compare yourself to others, it is a personal journey. Learn from others, yes. Be inspired by others, yes. Let others challenge you to become better, yes. But it is your progress that is important, not your progress compared to others.

As a last remark, talent is important in anything that you do in life. But the students I enjoyed most working with (and who had the mentality to become great karateka's) were the ones that had the drive to keep trying. Talent only gets you so far, but if you get used to working hard in order to become proficient in karate you get more in line to what karate actually is.

It is not easy. There is a lot of repetition. It is hard work. You're never done (at least I hope!). There are no shortcuts. The only way in becoming better is going to the training, be open for feedback and work hard. It's not a sprint, it's a marathon, so take your time!

[Wado Ryu Karate Student]

Thank you all for your comments. Just to let you know that I am determined to keep going. I will get this right. I will learn Karate.

[mazzybear]

Practice, practice, practice!!! It'll all fall into place eventually, just don't be too quick to judge yourself on what others can do. Progress at your own speed. When I first started back in Wado Ryu, I couldn't do a round kick to save my life and my flexibility was poor, I practiced as much as I could outside the dojo and now, 2 years on I'm a brown belt and can kick a round kick to the head quite comfortably, so anything is possible. Hard work and determination is just as good a tool as natural ability IMO. As far as the katas are concerned, purchase the book "karate katas of Wado Ryu" by Shingo Ohgami, it will serve you well, although it was written in the 70's, it's still considered something of a wado bible today, also "introduction to karate" by Mr Ohgami is a very useful book and breaks down techniques such as the round kick into easy to follow directions.

So stick with it, don't be too hard on yourself and things will come good.

Mo.

[mal103]

Thank you all for your comments. Just to let you know that I am determined to keep going. I will get this right. I will learn Karate.

This is all you need...

Confidence in yourself that you can achieve ANYTHING!

Take time, practice often, don't compare your progress to others. In a few months time you will probably have done enough to grade again and then you will get a new mountain to climb - just keep going.